No Other Name

Sharing my testimony with my sisters at SDG



I blogged a few days back about feeling free. I have the freedom to go places now that I have a car, yes. But I am only free to make the choices I make because I have been freed from bondage by my Savior. Galatians 5:1 reminds us of this telling us, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."


We are reminded in Acts 4:10-12 that it is only through the name of Christ that we can be saved. I remember this with much joy. My Savior gave everything for me, suffered even unto death, that I, Rachel, might be saved. How glorious!!!! How wondrous!!! If I am free, it is only because I have repented and come unto my Savior.


I am so grateful for my Savior, and for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The LDS church had its semi-annunal general conference this weekend, and the messages given by our general authorities were wonderfully inspring and uplifting. I am so blessed to belong to a church where we "talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ" (2 Nephi 25:26) 

found at weheartit

Something Good Happened

My step-grandmother's memorial service was this past Saturday. I got to know her a little better than I had known her in life. She was an incredible woman. She was kind, with a big heart, she knew how to be content, she loved being a wife and mom, she loved to read. If I am even half the woman she was, I will have succeeded in life. She is truly one of my role models. A neat thing: she took dance from Martha Graham, one of the modern dance pioneers. How awesome is that?

Something that particularly struck me was something my step-grandfather said when he was saying a few words at the family gathering before the memorial service. He was talking about how they met. "She was divorced, and I was divorced, and when we met, something good happened." That really gives me hope for my future. And I think that Grandma is glad I found that. Her whole life story just inspires me.

So much that her children shared during the service touched my heart. How my uncle started his remarks with "Life is unfair. You didn't get to have my mother as your mother" Or my step-mom talking about how much Grandma loved her son who was born with Down's, and felt that he truly brought their family together. My grandma's heart was so big, so welcoming. My step-mom shared with me that Grandma really loved that she and I shared a love of reading. After the memorial service,  I found myself sitting in her corner, reading. I thought it was very fitting.

You will be missed, Grandma, but I know you are doing a great work on the other side!

Stop Waiting!

I've been living with a false assumption lately (for a long time, really): that I am sitting here waiting for real life to begin. That just because I am in limbo as far as my marriage is concerned (not with my husband, not able to file for divorce yet), that life is waiting for me to be free of it (limbo). This false assumption has influenced the way I view life, making me feel like I am stuck in a holding pattern. But I have realized that this is all untrue.

Real life is right now. I  need to change my perspective, because I don't want all these moments to pass me by. I want to live intentionally, I want to realize that I am and can be doing significant things every day.  Life is always messy and imperfect, .

I have been living in one respect: I have been striving hard to keep from closing off my heart. I have been fighting off bitterness (but not succeeding at keeping the cynicism at bay).  I have been searching, reading, writing, and finding new friends in the process. Now I want to start living more all around.

So my new goal is to shed this layer of false assumptions that is keeping me from being in my own life.

(I think, though, that maybe, I did need to sit out for a little bit, and am ready now to shed this view of waiting for life to begin; maybe it was false, but maybe I needed it to protect my broken heart just a little.)

As of Late February

The time for the second As of Late post has come. Thanks again to Critty for this meme.




As of late, I have taken a job that is more challenging than I thought it would be, but in the end I think it will be rewarding.

As of late, I have made new friends.

As of late, God has been impressing on my heart that I need to take a big huge hard step soon. Today, he is letting me know, in no uncertain terms, that the time has come to take it. Please pray for me.

As of late, I have joined a beautiful bloggy sisterhood, Soli Deo Gloria, found over on Jen's blog, Finding Heaven.

As of late, I have bought a transmission and am waiting patiently for a mechanic friend of my dad's to find room in his schedule to put it in.

As of late, I have been cultivating hope.

As of late, I have been feasting on the truth of God's love found in the scriptures.

As of late, I have discovered how funny Modern Family is. "Cue the gasp"

As of late, I was able to put a huge chunk of money on a credit card thanks to my tax return.

Thanks for reading my As of Late's. Have a beautiful day!